All Perspectives
Points of ProgressUS worker deaths have declined steadily for past two decadesThe rate of fatal workplace injuries in the US is 25 percent lower than it was in 2006 and it's been trending downward for the past two decades, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The decline in certain dangerous occupations, as well as better regulations, have contributed.
Mayor Tom Menino: A tireless public servant
Giving our representatives roomTransparency is crucial in a healthy democracy. But the relentless, 24/7 spotlight we now shine on elected representatives has compromised their ability to compromise.
Readers RespondReaders Write: Corporal punishment isn't a crime; corporal punishment isn't necessary; conservatives have a narrow focusLetters to the Editor for Nov. 3, 2014 weekly magazine:Greene: As a child I was disciplined in the same way that Adrian Peterson disciplined his son, and though I am not for child abuse, there is nothing wrong with physical discipline.聽McPherson: Corporal punishment is never necessary.聽Elmasian: Conservatives trust聽three news outlets while the left trusts nine sources.
Innovations in storage boost renewable energyBecause utilities can't control when the sun shines or the wind blows, it has been hard to incorporate solar and wind power into the electricity grid. But new storage technologies could soon change that.
Difference MakerChelsea and Rob McFarland lure people into a sweet science: urban beekeepingHoneybee populations are under attack but the founders of nonprofit HoneyLove believe bees' best future is in cities.
How to best help refugees: Hand 'em cashHanding out goods such as tents and blankets may not be the most effective way to help those displaced by war or disasters. Refugees may know their own needs best.
Corinne Hindes helps those in need enjoy Warm WintersAs a teen she founded Warm Winters, which has worked with ski resorts, Girl Scouts, and high school ski teams to donate more than 5,000 items of warm clothing to 2,500 homeless people.
Public art in Detroit builds safer, stronger neighborhoodsDetroit artists Gina Reichert and Mitch Cope bought vacant homes and converted them into a multi-faceted artistic community, including a performing arts center and recording studio.
Points of ProgressReport: Fewer people in the world are malnourishedAccording to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the number of chronically undernourished dropped from 18.7 percent of the total population to 11.3 between 1990 and 2014. More than 60 developing nations have halved the number of undernourished people in their populations since 1990.
Goats take on a notorious invasive speciesHungry goat herds could replace toxic herbicides, controlled burns, and even bulldozers to eliminate invasive phragmites that choke off native vegetation.
Why walls rise -- and must fallSome walls are necessary, but before building any wall it is important to understand what is being walled in and what is being walled out.
Readers RespondReaders Write: Protections of political donations; battling to save all wildlife; why Malala is an inspirationLetters to the Editor for Oct. 27, 2014 weekly magazine:Brown:聽The First Amendment gives all US citizens the right to 鈥渇reedom of speech," which includes聽political聽donations.Hughes: Protecting animals is a common cause.Frank: Malala聽Yousafzai in an inspiration because of her unrelenting advocating for girls鈥� right to education.
Animals from around the world find a sanctuary in central MaineBob Miner's DEW Animal Kingdom & Sanctuary cares for more than 200 animals, many of which once were in zoos or kept as exotic pets.
Nonprofit pays off education debts for US veteransLeave No Veteran Behind helps pay for veterans' student debts not covered by other military programs, like the G.I. Bill.
Difference MakerLeila Janah helps people in the developing world find work 鈥� near homeSamasource breaks down complicated data-processing projects into small steps that can be done remotely on PCs in countries like Ghana, Uganda, and Haiti.
Why gangs are making sandwiches in New ZealandThe Tribal Huks gang have been聽making approximately 500 sandwiches daily and dropping them off at New Zealand schools. American gangs have responded similarly in the past.聽
Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi: an engineer of freedomKailash Satyarthi has taken effective steps toward ending the worldwide exploitation of children, says the head of one of his efforts, Goodweave International.
Points of ProgressLand mines could be almost completely gone within a decade, experts sayThe tide first began to turn against land mine use in 1997 when 122 countries signed the Mine Ban Treaty, and the number of land-mine casualties has decreased almost every year since then, reaching its lowest recorded point in 2013.
Farmers in Burkina Faso outsmart climate changeFarmers in one of the world's least-developed countries are restoring degraded land using innovative techniques to conserve water and soil.
